What's YOUR Literary Agent Number?

Before book apps were invented, there were agents. Before e-books and print on demand books and even some of today's publishing companies were established, there were agents.  In fact the first known literary agent opened for business way back in 1875.  He was the original gatekeeper between a writer and a publisher.  He took his job seriously and demanded the best from each and every writer who sought his representation.

In over 135 years THAT hasn't changed.  Literary agents today still demand the best from the writers who seek them out.  Writers like me who know without their support and guidance my path to publication may be a nearly impossible journey to make.  So I polish my stories and send them out with a wish and a prayer...into the hands of the agents. People who test the publishing waters before my stories ever get to them. They have a strong intuition of what sells and what won't.  They take calculated risks as they sift through the slush pile and mounds of queries loading down their inboxes each day and reject the stories they know they can't be passionate about.

And the rejection letters return home to the writers...words of regret that their story wasn't chosen and a wish for better luck next time.  Sometimes just empty silence screaming louder than any words actually could.  What's a writer to do?  

Cry?

Give up? 

When I decided it was time to start submitting my stories this year, I also decided I would take the bad with the good. That I would accept the rejections from agents as simply part of being fully vested in this writer's life.  And you know what? Today I decided to set a goal of just how many agents I'm willing to let reject my story in the hopes it will find a home of it's own one day.  

My number is 100.  I won't start considering Plan B until I have received 100 rejections for each manuscript I send out. Standing alone, 100 seems like a pretty big number to me.  But when you consider there are thousands of literary agents in the world...heck, maybe tens of thousands...then a measly 100 isn't too much to ask for, is it?

So think about it the next time you open an email or a letter from an agent...only to read "I'm so sorry but your story isn't the right fit for our company".  That might make THEM feel better for having sent it but really doesn't make YOUR day.  THAT's when you need to decide...

What's YOUR number?

I've only got 95 more to go on my first story...

I Didn't See It Coming...

 

 

 

In the martial arts style I train in, TaeKwonDo, we do something called free sparring or padded fighting.  It's a way of perfecting our skills in defending ourselves against an attacker.  Unlike these two, we wear protective gear and use light contact which takes far more control of mind or body than just slugging it out. But sometimes you don't see a punch or kick coming or you don't block in time and you get hit where you least expect it.

 

I remember early in my training when I was still working out with my son.  He always had superior skill to my own but I enjoyed sparring with him because it challenged me to think on my feet and deal with whatever came my way.  One day, however, we were sparring during class and I must not have been paying attention as well as I should because I let my guard down...I dropped my hands...as he was doing a roundhouse kick and I stopped his attack to my head...with my MOUTH.  Needless to say that was a lesson learned from the split lip and permanent scar I have from being able to say "I didn't see it coming".

 

Writing can be like sparring sometimes...

 

We try to arm ourselves with strong writing skills, workshops, and books on how to perfect our craft, but sometimes it's not enough.  Sometimes we don't see it coming and we are hit by those pesky writing demons hell-bent on trying to beat us down.  Things like rejection letters, writer's block, self-doubt, and others sneak in a punch or a kick until we feel like all we are doing is crouching in a corner, cowering. 

 

But we have got to remember we are stronger that that!  We come from a long line of champion authors who are in our corner.  Encouraging us.  Cheering us on.  Lifting us up and reminding us we chose this path for a reason.  Simply put...we have no choice but to write.  It's in our blood...in our very souls...and no silly, self-made demons can deter our focus on this path to publication.

 

So I say bring on the rejection letters...it only proves my work is making it's way in the real world and one day it WILL find a home.  Bring on the writer's block...it will challenge me to be more creative in how I look at my work and maybe it is a gentle message to take a few moments to renew my own spirit before carrying on.  And I refuse to be brought down by self-doubt when I can reach out to this wonderful writing community I am a member of...I KNOW my "sparring" partners have my back and will lift me up while encouraging me to step back into the ring.

 

The only thing I have to worry about is this guy...